1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a token image acquiring apparatus which can acquire an image of a token using an imaging apparatus. Particularly, the present invention relates to a token image acquiring apparatus which can acquire an image of a token while moving at a relatively high velocity by using a coordinated imaging apparatus. Further, the present invention relates to a medal storing and selecting apparatus provided with a token image acquiring apparatus which acquires an image of a moving token using an imaging apparatus to perform sorting between a real token and a fake token.
2. Description of Related Art
Incidentally, the term “token” used in this specification is a broad term to include coins, game tokens, medals and other members representative of value and of a shape such as a circle and a polygon that can be stored in bulk and individually separated.
Japanese Laid Open Application 2004-227366 discloses a technique for, in the course of conveying a coin linearly using an advancing belt, illuminating an upper face of the coin by a light emitting apparatus, acquiring an image thereof using an imaging apparatus, and conducting a discrimination between real/fake coins based upon the image information acquired. In this conventional art, a position of the coin on the belt is detected by a sensor and a light emitting timing of the light emitting apparatus and an imaging timing of a camera are set based upon a detection signal.
A second technique for, in the course of conveying a medal used in a game, is to place the medal linearly on a belt, acquire an image of a surface thereof using a camera, and conduct discrimination between real/fake by comparing the acquired image with reference image data. Subsequently, a fake medal can be removed from an advancing path to discharge the fake medal by a different coin discharging path, see JP-A-2002-358550 (FIGS. 1 to 3, Pages 2 to 4), JP-A-2006-004166 (FIGS. 1 to 4, Pages 3 to 5), and JP-A-2004-030355 (FIG. 1, Pages 4 to 6).
As token dispensing apparatus become more compact and operate at higher speeds, there is need to provide token validating apparatus to address these demands.